


Anymore

by Growing_ivy_inmymind



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Bullied Draco Malfoy, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Hogwarts Eighth Year, M/M, Not Beta Read, POV Draco Malfoy, Panic Attacks, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, astronomy easter egg, everyone is still recovering from the war, he starts talking at the end, i don't even know what else to say, if people think i need to put more things in the tags just tell me, mostly - Freeform, non verbal Draco Malfoy, there are other characters but these are the ones that actually talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:40:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28870977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Growing_ivy_inmymind/pseuds/Growing_ivy_inmymind
Summary: Coming back to eighth year was a mistake. Draco didn't know if he'd be able to make it through the year. Everyone was making it their mission to make sure he didn't make it to graduation.Everyone except Harry Potter. Who still wanted to save him for some reason.--"What happened to being tired of saving everyone?""You're the exception because you don't EXPECT me to save you. Everyone else just waits for me to do it, you don't."
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 12
Kudos: 283





	Anymore

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first work for the HP fandom, which is surprising because it's like the oldest fandom. I've been in this fandom since before I knew what a fandom was.
> 
> I've had this little hc that after the war Draco goes mostly non-verbal and Harry thinking of Draco as the exception and poof this fic was born
> 
> If the writing style changes several times throughout the course of this, I'm so so sorry. I'm taking four different english classes and they all want me to use different writing styles and I have a hard time switching between them.
> 
> CW: Draco has an anxiety attack. I'll separate it so if it triggers you you'll know what to skip over. Please read responsibly
> 
> If there are mistakes I'm sorry, my eyes are burning as I edit this and I can't do anymore for it. I hope you all like it!!! :)

When he first managed it, everyone was shocked. The war was over and everyone had their trauma to sort through, and they all know that both him and Potter had it much worse than the rest of them. Everyone already steered away from him because of his unwilling stint as a Death Eater, but even more so when it was obviously one of those days where every bad thing that happened was at the forefront of his mind.

So when he conjured his potronus for the very first time in class, everyone was shocked that he was able to make one at all. That he had a happy enough memory to use for the spell.

He was as shocked as they were, not that he showed it. He heard everyone whispering, saying that maybe it was from when he was little, before school, his mother was probably the center of that memory but they were so far off the mark. But he didn't correct them, or even acknowledge that they were even speaking about him. He just focused on maintaining the spell until their professor said "that's enough."

He could hear the whispers, feel the stares that followed him when he left the room and made his way back to the shared common room for everyone who had returned to their eighth year. He was used to it, of course. Being the son of one of the highest ranking Death Eaters and being branded as one, as well as being saved so publicly by the Chosen One painted him in a light that was too close to the spotlight for his liking.

But he was alive, he was free and none of what he was subjected to would be on his written record.

That didn't mean people would look past what he supposedly did and was forced to do. Everyone needed someone to hate, and who better than someone who was right in front of them.

Draco didn't sigh, he didn't mumble when he said the password to enter the dorms, he didn't look at his feet when he walked to where Pansy was sitting. He didn't fall into the cushions when he sat down, he didn't slouch. He was raised better than that. He knew better.

"Draco, that's enough." Pansy said after sitting silently beside him for the better part of an hour. Neither of them had said a thing to the other. But after being his friend for so long, Draco shouldn't have been so surprised that she could read him so easily. "You are your own person now. You don't have to live up to anyone's expectations anymore. Especially not _his_."

All Draco did with that non-permission was draw his feet onto the couch and maneuvered them to be resting beneath him. He knew his feet would go numb and when he decided to stand again his ankles wouldn't want to support his weight, but he didn't care. He still expected to be disciplined for sitting in such a disgraceful way, for not preserving the _respectable_ image of the Malfoy family.

The two of them were tucked in a corner of the common room, with the fire blazing right in front of them. Pansy was doing what looked to be transfiguration homework, but Draco didn't actually try to see what it really was. He just stared into the flames, letting the mesmerizing show over the logs detach him from his sense of time. To distract him from the whispers he could still hear, the glares and sneers he could still feel.

After some time Pansy closed her book and stood. "I'm going to bed now. I highly suggest you do the same, you look worse than yesterday." She said the same thing every night.

When she had gone, Draco realized that he was the only one left in the room. It was a clear night and he could see the moon casting its silver light across the floor, the only other thing lighting the room beside the fire. He didn't move from his spot. He could feel sleep pulling at him, days without substantial sleep weighing his limbs down until they were too heavy for him to move.

He just continued to stare into the fire.  
  
He startled awake, the remnants of an all too familiar nightmare racing through his body, chasing away sleep with a rush of adrenaline. He had fallen asleep again. When he looked around the room, he guessed not much time had passed, no more than an hour since the last time he looked around the empty room.

Draco made to get up but his limbs were tangled in one of the many old quilts that were draped around the room. He stared at the warm blanket in confusion for longer than he knew was appropriate. This wasn't the first time this had happened. He had fallen asleep in the common room before, and every time he woke up there was a blanket wrapped around him. Draco could only think of one person who would be this kind to him and he knew that Pansy only woke up when the sun rose once she was asleep.

It took longer than it should have to untangle himself from the quilt, he was still so tired and his limbs didn't want to do what he wanted them to do. He was uncoordinated and clumsy. The first time this had happened, Draco nearly fell into the fire when he tried to escape the confines of the heavy fabric. To avoid making his headache worse, he just assumed it was one of the house elves, who he had seen on more than one occasion coming in and tidying the room while presumably everybody slept.

Draco made his way to his room and made sure all the lights were on and the candles were lit before he shut the door. His room was a mess and he couldn't bring himself to clean it or let the house elves clean it for him. He sat at his desk and started doing his homework

It hardly felt like he got any work done by the time everyone was getting ready to head down to breakfast. Draco waited until he was sure everyone had left for the Great Hall before he started getting ready. He walked to the bathroom and got in the shower before waiting for the water to warm up. When he stepped out was when the water started becoming more bearable. As hard as he tried not to, Draco saw himself in the mirror and didn't flinch away from the ugly sight before him. His hair was getting longer and he hated it, it reminded him too much of HIM. The bags under his eyes looked black against his pale skin, looking wraith-like in his dark school robes.

It has been such a long week for Draco so far, and it was only Tuesday. They were barely through the second month of the first term, how the hell was he supposed to survive the rest of the year? But being Tuesday had good classes today. The only saving grace, no pun intended, was who all was in his classes with him on Tuesdays, and Tuesdays only.

Potter. Bleeding heart and Savior of the wizarding world shared all his Tuesday classes.

Potter had approached him just before the trial that would determine his future and asked him a question that Draco doubted he even remembered, let alone knew how much of an impact it had on him.

 _"Do you want me to save you?"_ Potter didn't ask with any of the emotions Draco thought he would. He was open, concerned, worried and ... pleading. Potter wanted Draco to say yes. Harry Potter wanted to save HIM of all people. Which is what Draco had a hard time wrapping his head around, even after all this time. Draco had made his life hell, bullied him and the people he was close to, held Luna Lovegood in his basement, but he still wanted to save Draco.

Draco had wanted so badly to say no. To spit in his face and say he didn't need help, much less help from him. But he was terrified of what would happen, what his sentence would be if he didn't have at least one person on his side. Terrified of having to see any face that might be familiar from the nightmare that had become his house. Petrified at the thought of being in the same building as his father.

So, using everything he had left in him, he said _"please."_ No malice or mocking. He knew he sounded as desperate to be saved by Potter as Potter was to save him.

Draco walked down from the tower to the Great Hall, hoping he had waited long enough to avoid as many people as he could. He only had enough time before his first class to grab toast to eat on the way but he didn't need more than that.

He walked into the classroom just before Flitwick turned around to begin the class. He sat in the back of the class and took notes on autopilot.

Tuesdays were his favorite days because no crumpled papers flew at him, no hateful words appeared on his desk or across his notes. He didn't need to look at the ground to avoid being poked at or to the ceiling to hold the tears that threatened to fall at words spat in his face. All because there was only one person in attendance who no one wanted to see angry.

Tuesdays were by far the best day of the week. Granger and Weasley didn't have the same classes as him and Potter. So, rather than let the others in their year hang about him and fawn over his presence, Potter had taken to sticking by Draco's side.

Draco knew that Potter wasn't doing it to defend him, rather using him as a shield. Nobody wanted to be within five feet of him, if they had the option he doubted they would stay in whatever room he just entered. And when Draco realized that Potter was using him as a people repellent, he thought he'd be furious. He thought he'd demand Potter to leave him be and storm off in the other direction. But he didn't say anything to him.

In fact, neither had said a word to the other since the second day of the term.

And Draco couldn't find himself to hate or enjoy this fact. He was so pleased that they weren't fighting anymore, but at the same time it felt like he had to be walking on eggshells in fear of losing whatever it was that was between them.

The two walked next to each other as they made their way to potions and Draco found he was content with it. That realization tripped him, his foot catching on an uneven stone. Potter's grip, gentile but strong, was the only thing that kept him from falling to the ground. Potter only let go when he nodded in thanks, to say he was good.

They paired up in Slughorns class, no one sitting at their table in the corner of the room. Slughorn was ecstatic at their display of house camaraderie, everyone looking the other way with a roll of their eyes. Whenever they were asked a question it was Potter who answered, even if he knew he was giving the wrong answer. They didn't speak to each other to coordinate the project, both knowing, from past years watching the other, who did best doing what. While Draco needed no help making the potion himself, he detested having to put it into the report. And Potter, who didn't know holly hawk from wolfs bane, much preferred watching what to do and saying what he saw.

When their classes let out at the end of the day, they made their way to the Great Hall for dinner. They separated without a word, Potter just tapping his shoulder before turning away. Draco found where Pansy was sitting and from the corner of his eye he could see Potter sit next to his friends and the solemn, tired persona was covered with the mask he wore around everyone but him.

Once he was finished eating, he waited for Pansy to be finished flirting with Luna before the three of them walked back up to their common room. Luna walked in between the two of them and was chattering away about her most recent fixation. She swung the hand she held Pansy's in and kept a light grip on Draco's elbow, like he was a gentleman escorting her to their destination.

This was one of his favorite things about the evenings. Just being in the company of these two and not being expected to say a word or do more than just walk.

When they reached the common room, Luna stood on her tiptoes to kiss Draco on the cheek before pulling Pansy up the stairs to her room. Draco looked after them for a moment before assuming his usual seat in the corner in front of the fire.

He didn't know why he always sat there to look into the fire, he knew it would lull him to sleep and that was the last thing he wanted to do. Sleep meant nightmares and that meant less energy than he had before. But his room, despite his efforts to keep it as messy and disorganized as he could, it still always seemed to resemble his room in the manor.

Draco got as comfortable as the lumpy sofa would allow and focused on the fire blazing in front of him.

He had no idea of how much time had passed, but at one point Potter entered the room and made a beeline for where he was sitting. Neither said a word as he sat a little too close and made himself comfortable. He pulled the nearest quilt from where it was resting and draped it over both their laps.

Draco's eyes widened at the gesture. He wasn't cold, not this close to the fire, but the weight of the blanket was nice. Not just that, it was reminisce of all the times he would wake up alone in this exact spot and be covered in a quilt.

He looked up to Potter and just stared. Potter had his eyes closed and his head was tilted so far back it looked uncomfortable. Potter readjusted how he was sitting so he was more slouched and looking into the fire as well. In doing so he shifted closer to Draco so their shoulders were touching and Potters knees were almost resting on Draco's thighs.

Draco didn't understand why it didn't bother him. Rather than let his brain run around in that particular circle, he focused on the fire and let everything else happening around him disappear. He didn't even realize it when Weasley and Granger came back and asked Potter something. He didn't see the look the couple shared, he didn't realize when they left. Draco didn't notice when Potter shifted just a little bit closer and fell asleep, using his shoulder as a pillow.

He didn't fall asleep that night. Too keenly aware of the weight of wherever him and Potter were touching. Draco didn't know why he was so focused on that. He could feel how tired his body was, but even though his mind wasn't racing, he didn't feel as though he would fall asleep.

He didn't want it to be Wednesday.

Potter woke up just before dawn, yelling out into the silence that had surrounded them. Draco didn't know how to comfort him, so he just grabbed Potter's surprisingly cold hand. He didn't know how much would be overstepping whatever bounds they had between them, and when Potter looked down to their joined hands he was worried he had crossed a line. That is until Potter tightened his grip.

He seemed as hesitant to move as Draco was, but more than anything Draco did not want to be present in the flow of students on their way down for breakfast. So Draco squeezed Potter's hand one last time before getting up and walking to his room.

Draco went through the day absentmindedly. He only half heard all the lectures. Only half felt all the little hexes that hit him. Only half saw the slurs that burned themselves into his desk or wrote themselves across his notes.

That night at dinner, Pansy was sitting with Luna at the Ravenclaw table so Draco tried to will himself to become invisible as he sat at the very end of the table. He sat alone and didn't pay attention to anything around him.

That is until someone sat down next to him well within his personal bubble. But not just someone, Potter.

Potter sat and seemed about ready to fall into his food. He looked so exhausted. Draco tapped his shoulder lightly and Potter looked at him. Draco had never seen him look so...tired. "There are too many voices. Too many eyes. It's hurting."

Draco nodded and shifted just a hair closer, like that would extend the bubble that was around him. And in a way that's exactly what he was doing. He could feel the stares of confusion and the accompanying whispers but as soon as he looked around and glared at anyone he caught looking in their direction they looked away.

He was almost finished eating when Potter had taken the place next to him, so Draco finished and waiting for Potter to finish his meal before they both stood up and walked in silence to the eighth years tower.

Potter was the one to give the password for the portrait but other than that neither said a word. Draco didn't say anything when he gently grabbed Potter's wrist and pulled him to his room. As comfortable as their usual corner was, there were still too many people in the common room, half of whom had turned to look at them when they entered.

Potter didn't say a word either as he followed Draco's lead. Draco turned on all the lights and lit all the candles before closing the door. He didn't apologize for the mess of his room, he wasn't ashamed or embarrassed by it, not right now anyway.

Draco guided Potter to his bed and let him get situated before he cast silently a charm on his ceiling. A charm that was totally invisible with how bright it was. He had gotten very good at casting this particular charm without speaking, when the manor wasn't home anymore, just a place for monsters to torment others.

Since every eighth year got their own room, they no longer had those forsaken four poster beds. He looked back to Harry to see that he was watching Draco with a thin layer of curiosity to cover the after affects of his panic attack. Draco smiled, no more than a small quirk of his lips, before he turned off the lights, leaving the candles lit.

The candles didn't provide much light, so with the room so dark, the charm Draco had cast glowed. It gave off more than enough light for Draco to make it back to his bed without tripping on anything. It also pulled Harry's attention, gave him something good to focus on.

Draco lied next to him and they watched the stars. Draco looked for the constellations he knew and made a few of them move, like they were coming to life. He didn't know the extent of Harry's astronomical knowledge, but he made Canis Major run around like a puppy until it bumped into Draco's namesake. Draco let the constellations move back into their places and just let Harry watch the stars.

They laid there like that for a while, and at some point, Harry grabbed Draco's hand and laced their fingers.

After some time Harry took a deep breath to speak but couldn't seem to force the words out. Draco squeezed his hand in encouragement. "Everyone still wants me to be him. To be the great Harry Potter, Savior of the wizarding world. But I can't be him any more. It too much, I can't do it anymore."

Tears started running down his temples. Draco lifted their joined hands and attempted to wipe them away. Eventually Harry stopped crying and Draco had no idea how to comfort him so he just moved closer, so their shoulders were touching all the way to their hands. Thankfully, this seemed to make Harry relax a little.

"I think you're the only one who doesn't expect me to be him anymore. Even Ron and 'Mione still wait for me to act like I did before. I don't think they take me seriously when I tell them that that part of me died when I killed him. But you don't expect that of me, you don't need me to save you. You just let me _be_ when I'm with you and I'm grateful for that." The entire time he was speaking, Harry didn't take his eyes off the enchanted ceiling. Draco's gaze hadn't left Harry since he started talking.

Draco held Harry's hand tighter when he made to get up. It was nice not being alone, he didn't want to be alone again. "I'll be right back. Promise." Harry smiled, a small but real smile. Like the one he used to see before everything started going to hell. It had been such a long time since Draco had seen that smile and it shocked him at how much he missed it. He trusted that smile. Draco nodded and let him go.

Harry walked out of his room, after looking up and down the hall, hoping to avoid any and all people. Once he was alone again, Draco decided to change into his pajamas. A t-shirt that was a little too big and an old pair of joggers. He looked around his room, debating if it was even worth cleaning up. Draco decided against it just as his door opened.

Harry walked in dressing in his own sleep clothes, a similar fashion to Draco's. "Is it okay if I sleep here tonight?"

As an answer, Draco grabbed Harry's hand again and pulled him back to his bed. This time they got under the covers and Draco didn't realize how cold he was before he wasn't anymore.

"I'm not gonna be a Auror." Harry said not long after they had settled. They were lying in pretty much the exact position as before, holding hands but not much contact besides that. "Only McGonagall knows. She's actually the one who brought it up. I've seen too much action and fighting and I wouldn't be able to handle anymore of it."

Without realizing he was doing it, Draco's thumb started to run back and forth across Harry's knuckles. Harry turned into his side and brought their hands up and just watched as Draco continued to comfort him silently. Draco rolled to mirror Harry's position, making their knees touch.

"I don't think I'm going to do anything for a while after we graduate. I feel like I need to just vanish for a while. Only see some people long enough to assure them that I'm not dead, but nothing more than that."

Draco didn't know why Harry was telling him all this, but he was glad that he was trusted enough to be told these secrets. He knew that he wasn't brave enough to say anything, but Draco hoped that his actions would be enough. Draco pulled their hands closer to him and placed a soft kiss on the back of Harry's hand.

When he looked back to him, Draco returned the smile he found on Harry's face. "Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me on Friday? On a date?" Harry asked and Draco's smile widened as he nodded.

They both fell asleep not long after that.

Draco was the one that woke up first. Sitting up breathing heavily and drenched in sweat. He felt Harry stir and felt terrible that he woke him up. Draco was shaking and couldn't get his breathing to even out.

Harry sat up and moved into Draco's line of sight. He didn't say a word as he reached forward and put his cold hands on Draco's cheeks. It gave him a feeling to focus on. Grounded him in one present sensation.

When Draco had calmed down a little he relaxed the white knuckle grip he hand on the covers and put his head on Harry's shoulder. He managed to steady his breathing after a minute.

The tension returned to Draco's shoulders when he felt Harry's fingers run through his hair. It was getting longer and he hated it, he wanted it gone.

Harry felt Draco's reaction and some how made the right connection. "Do you want me to cut it for you? I can't promise it will be an even cut though."

He didn't care if it was even or not, Draco just needed it shorter and Pansy hadn't had enough time to do it for him. Draco nodded moved to his desk chair so it would be easier for Harry. His eyes started stinging when he thought about how hard it was for him to let Pansy cut it the first time, right after his trial when Pansy was the only one he could stand to be around.

Draco closed his eyes and tried to focus on something else. Anything else. He tried to come up with something to distract his mind, to pull his thoughts away from his stained memories, but nothing was working.

Until Harry started humming. It was a muggle song that he might have heard before, but he couldn't remember where. He felt his shoulders drop and his hands stopped shaking. Draco didn't feel Harry cutting his hair, but he could hear it falling to the floor under the sound of Harry's voice.

"Hermione used to cut our hair when we were...running. Ron tried to return the favor once, but it looked worse than when it started. I evened it out for her. I used to cut my own hair, it's so much easier to do it when I can actually see what I'm doing." Harry explained when he ran his finger through the now short hair. He brushed off all the hair that clung to Draco's night shirt then spelled the mess away.

Draco ran his hands through his hair and smiled. It was even and probably easy to tell, but it was finally the length he wanted it to be. Whenever Pansy would do this for him, she would be so afraid that she'd cut it too short. He smiled and turned to Harry who looked a little nervous about the job he had done. When he saw Draco's smile though he relaxed.

Harry grabbed Draco's hand and pulled him back to bed. It was too close to when everyone would be getting up so they sat against the head board. Harry leaned his head against Draco's shoulder and Draco relaxed at the contact.

They sat like that until they heard people getting ready for the day.

Draco didn't want to leave their little bubble, but at least the week was almost over.

Thursday passed more or less uneventfully. More hexes and jinxes hit him than the day before and the slurs and insults got more creative. He didn't pay that much attention to them until his last class when someone's note expressed their distrust and hatred at him for somehow tricking and corrupting Harry Potter.

He walked to dinner in a kind of haze and didn't eat very much. Draco didn't pay attention to what was happening around him until there was commotion at the Gryffindor table. He looked up in time to see Harry glare at his friends and storm out of the Great Hall.

Draco watched as he disappeared and nodded in agreement when Pansy voiced his thoughts of "I wonder what that was about."

Pansy told him he didn't need to wait for her to finish, she was going to go talk to Luna once she was done, so Draco stood and walked back to his room. His mind was running with everything that was happening. Draco could understand the meaning behind the note he still had in his bag, but he was curious if more than just that one person thought that of him.

He opened the door to his room and froze, his hand still on the handle. Draco expected to come back and do his homework in an empty room. He did not expect to see Harry curled in a ball in the center of his bed.

"I'm sorry. If you want me to leave I will, but I didn't want to go anywhere else." Harry said. His back was to Draco, who was still standing shocked in the doorway. The wet sniff is what got Draco moving again.

Draco shut the door and locked it. Harry's tone was so even when he spoke that Draco had no idea he was crying until he tried breathing in. Draco dropped his bag by his desk and sat on the bed near Harry's head. He ran his hand over his shoulder and into his hair. With as unruly as it was, Draco was fully expecting his fingers to get caught in knots.

Harry seemed to melt into his bed at the contact. "They don't trust you. They think you're gonna try something, trick me into doing something bad or something."

Oh, so that's what that was about. Draco wordlessly summoned the note from his bag and unfolded it. He placed the paper on the bed next to Harry's hand. Harry shifted only enough to grab the note and read it. When he did, he sat up and looked angry, more than the note should have made him.

That is until Harry's fingers traced over a different hateful message that was scribbled over the notes he was taking for that class. "How often does this happen?" His voice was so soft when he asked. Draco didn't answer. He looked at his bag out of the corner of his eye and felt his head hang. Logically Draco knew that Harry wasn't angry with him, but he still felt like he was about to get into trouble. "Why haven't I seen this happening when we have class together."

Draco looked up and hoped that he didn't think on that too hard. He knew Harry wasn't stupid, he was actually brilliant when he took the time to properly think a problem through, but this was the one thing that Draco wanted to stay unknown to him.

Wishful thinking. "Oh. It's because I'm with you that they don't do anything, isn't it?" Harry was angry. He had stopped crying when Draco sat down with him, but the tears that fell now were out of anger. Draco nodded and grabbed Harry's hand. He didn't want Harry to do anything about it, and definitely not right now.

Right now all he wanted to do was lay down and not think for a while.

Harry understood what he wasn't saying and threw the paper off the bed before they both got comfortable.

They didn't speak after that, they both just fell asleep, neither waking up from a nightmare. They woke up when they heard everyone moving around getting ready for the day. Draco expected Harry to get up and leave to get ready, but he waited with him until everyone had left.

When they were making their way down to the Great Hall, is when Harry spoke. "Do you want me to help you? With the bullying, I mean."

Draco's feet stalled on the stairs and he nearly missed the landing when he started moving again. Harry watched him out of the corner of his eye and watched as he thought. Draco knew that if he said no Harry _would_ leave it alone but he kind of didn't want him to leave it alone. They weren't even half way through the second month of the term and it was already this bad. If he said no now, it wouldn't be long before someone's curse sent him to the hospital wing. If anyone else had asked if he wanted help, he would have said no. But it was just Harry. Draco nodded and something in his chest twisted at the small smile Harry gave him when they started moving again.

"Meet me at McGonagall's office when your classes let out." Harry separated when they reached the hall, going to sit with his friends. But as Draco watched, it was out of habit. He didn't put that fake happy mask on when he sat with them and he didn't contribute to the conversation. He largely ignored when people spoke to him. None of the eighth years had class right after breakfast so most everyone stayed at their tables when everyone else left. Draco stood and decided to go to the library, where he could hide from everyone.

As he was leaving he watched as Granger spoke to Harry and he actually faced her and nodded before saying something in return.

Friday's choices of slurs, curses and hexes were more colorful and creative than they had been. Everyone taking issue with the fact that Harry Potter wanted to be in Draco's presence. By the time he was walking up the stairs to the headmistress's office Draco's hair was smoking and his hands were scraped. There were probably bruises on his knees from the three times he was tripped in the same hallway but he didn't want to think about it.

Like he said he would be, Harry was waiting outside the office door and Draco's stomach was in knots. He'd had enough confrontation to last the rest of his life and McGonagall still kind of terrified him. As soon as he noticed Draco standing in front of him, Harry instantly saw the singed ends of his hair and once again looked angry.

Draco felt the over powering urge to run. Run away from the trouble he was going to be in, from having to deal with it all. But he stood and forced a deep breath into his lungs.

When they walked through the door McGonagall was surprised to see them. Her eyes ran over the two of them and looked half way between disappointed and exasperated.

"Professor, what's the schools policy on bullying?" Harry asked right out of the gate. He stood tall and looked her in the eye when he spoke.

Her look turned calculating. Draco was curled in on himself and looking at the floor. She noticed the small tendril of smoke still rising from his hair and he was holding his bag like there was something secret in there. Nothing like the proud boy he used to be.

The solutions she offered didn't sound promising to Draco, and he was grateful that Harry asked if there was anything else that could be done.

"Is there anything that you think might work?" She asked them.

Harry answered without hesitating. "Can we have the same schedule? No one does anything when I'm there too."

McGonagall was proud of Potter. She knew that he would go to such lengths for anyone, but it showed how much he had grown when he wanted to do this for Malfoy. She agreed and told them that she'd let the other professors know. "Can I know the extent of what's happening?"

Harry looked to Draco as he nodded. He pulled out his noted for one of his classes and set it on her desk before turning his hands over to show her the scrapes that were still sore.

Slowly, the headmistress looked through his notes. Her eyes carefully reading everything that was clearly not Draco's own writing. "And I take it that this is just from today?" Draco nodded when he took back his notes.

"Very well. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I have to shuffle some things around, but I'll send you two an owl with your new schedule before Monday. Enjoy your weekend."

Harry said their thanks and the two of them went back to the dorms. Harry followed Draco into his room and watched as he fell onto his stomach on his bed. He closed the door and lied on his back next to Draco. "Do you want to postpone our date to tomorrow?"

Draco nodded. It had been an exhausting day and now he didn't have the energy to leave his room. He didn't think he'd be able to stomach food if he managed to move from where he fell. He stiffened when he felt Harry take his hands to look at the broken and discolored skin.

"This couldn't have happened with just one trip." Harry muttered as his fingers ghosted over the damage. Draco turned his face away from Harry as he tucked his thumb and pinky. "Three times! Draco, why do you let them just do whatever they want?"

* * *

Draco curled into a ball, facing away from Harry. His eyes were stinging and he let out an ugly sob. He knew that Harry's anger was directed to the people who did this to him but it still felt like he was about to be yelled at. He'd been yelled at one too many times by his father, that was quickly followed by one beating or another. His breathing got shorter and more uneven as he remembered how it felt when the bruises formed, the blinding white pain when he had to mend his own wounds. Never once letting anyone see the pain he was in, that would just ensure another scolding that was worse.

Draco wasn't in his room at Hogwarts anymore, he was standing in the study, his fathers office, the dining room, the entry hall, looking past his fathers shoulders as he was being yelled at. When he focused on one spot hard enough he wouldn't flinch when a hand, foot, spell hit its mark and it would be over sooner.

He felt something warm cover him, then a solid presence curl around him. Draco focused on those feelings, on the weight of an arm over his middle, of a hand gently pressing him back against that warmth. He focused on the even breaths of the body behind him, the steady rhythm of the heart beating and tried to get his body to mimic it.

* * *

Eventually his ears stopped ringing enough to hear a calming voice talking against his neck. Words of encouragement and...praise. Why was Harry saying he was amazing? He wasn't. He was weak and a coward and didn't stand up for himself because it would show everyone and remind himself that he was alone.

He had Pansy, but they weren't as close as they used to be. Being the only two Slytherins of their year to return they stuck together for survival, but since Pansy had always been in the background of the war no one payed her any attention, didn't hold her to the acts of the war.

Draco curled himself even tighter, like he could put his walls back up if he was smaller. He knew it was futile, they were gone and he was exposed for everyone to see and poke at.

Harry just held him closer, pulled him tighter to his chest. "I'm here. I'm here Draco. I'll be here for you."

He took in a shuddering breath and held it before pushing it out, trying to push out most of his negative feelings with it. "I'm sorry." He whispered into the bed pushing down another wave of tears.

"It's okay, really. Everyone needs to break down every once in a while. I'm sorry for not realizing it sooner."

"What happened to being tired of saving everyone?" Draco couldn't make his voice any louder and he was too tired to try.

"You're the exception because you don't _expect_ me to save you. You won't let me save you or help you unless _I_ ask if I can first. Everyone else just waits for me to do it, you don't." Harry laughed against the back of Draco's neck and for some reason it helped him relax. "Hermione apologized to me at breakfast today. She doesn't really get it, but she's trying to. She said she'd try and get Ron to too. When he finally swallows his pride, you think you'd be up for eating with us?"

Draco nodded and started falling asleep. "Please don't leave me."

"I'll stay right here. Go to sleep now, I won't let anything or anyone hurt you. I promise." Harry tightened his hold of Draco and he was asleep almost instantly.

When he woke up he was lying in bed properly. His head was resting on Harry's chest with one arm over his stomach and his leg over Harry's. Draco breathed out and felt something fluttering in his chest. He liked waking up like this. He wanted to wake up like as much as he could.

"Are you awake?" Harry whispered, the arm around Draco's shoulder shifting so fingers were running through his hair.

Draco hummed and they continued to lie there in silence for a while.

"I heard a rumor that you were able to conjure your patronus, what was it?"

"An arctic fox." Draco started drawing circles on Harry's chest where his hand was resting.

"What memory did you use? Can I ask that?"

Draco nodded and closed his eyes. "When you told those two off on the second day of the term." It was pouring that day and Draco was using his free hour to go apologize to Hagrid. Rather than waste time to store his school supplies in his room, or risk them getting them stolen by hiding them somewhere, he brought them with him. He was using his wand as an umbrella until someone stole it from his grip. Draco was drenched within seconds and his papers and books didn't last much longer.

 _"You should've been sent to Azkaban. To get kissed by the Dementors. No one want's a Death Eater here. Do everyone a favor and leave."_ Along with many more insults and slurs were thrown at him by the two seventh years. They pushed him to the ground and one of them kicked him in the stomach. Draco knew that they would have continued if Harry hadn't stepped in.

He was out of breath and just as soaked as he was. His bag was thrown to the ground near by in his haste to get to him. And when the to in front of Draco saw who was now standing in their way, they first looked in awe. The Great Harry Potter was going to help them scare Draco out of school. It only took seconds for them to read the look of rage that Harry was directing at them. They became terrified of what Harry would do to them if they didn't leave right then.

Harry didn't turn until both boys were in the building and the door was shut behind them. He crouched down and helped Draco stand up. _"Are you okay?"_

Draco nodded and let their hands drop. _"Thank you."_ He walked to where Harry's bag was sitting in a puddle and handed it over. Harry passed back his wand and Draco nodded his thanks before continuing with his mission to apologize.

"Why that memory?" Harry's hand stilled in his hair.

Draco paused his own fingers to think about how to answer that. "Because you're the only to ever put any effort into _actually_ _saving_ me. Without acting like it's a favor to cash in later. And that day you saved me from those two without asking me, without waiting for me to ask, you just did because you _wanted_ to. The memory itself isn't happy, but when I realized that, it made me happy. To know that we might not be friends, and you might never want to be my friend, but you'd still put yourself in front of me. Just because you want to."

Harry hugged Draco closer and kissed the top of his head. "Well, I'm honored that your patronus memory happened because I wanted to save you."

Draco hugged him back and thought that he'd be more than okay to spend the rest of the weekend like this. "Rather than go to Hogsmeade tonight, can we have a picnic by the lake or something? I don't think I can deal with people yet."

"Sounds more fun than fighting for a booth or seat at Three Broomsticks." Harry kissed the top of his head again and Draco smiled. He like this very much.

**Author's Note:**

> For those of you who didn't get the astro easter egg, Canis Major is the constellation that has the star Sirius, I thought it'd be cute and I just finished (back in december) my astronomy block.
> 
> This entire fic was inspired by this picture by @//friendlybread2608 on tumblr  
> https://friendlybread2608.tumblr.com/post/639661840199303168/cant-tell-how-i-love-rainy-season
> 
> Title is the song Anymore by Madilyn Paige and David Archuleta
> 
> Thank you all for putting up with my bs!!


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